Puzzles and Cakes
by FragilePuzzle
Summary: Wammy-era. It's Near's birthday, and Mello has to find a way to get the small boy to the playroom...so he can give him his present. Basically fluff. Near's early birthday present MelloxNear


**A/N: **My SECOND fic for Near's birthday. Haha, I wrote this one to submit to DA, because I didn't want to submit the other one and get locked in iPrison for too much gay secks in one story. So, here is a fluffy Wammy's house-era story for Nia-tan. I just submitted it on here, because…well, because I can! *throws confetti* Happy b-day, Ne-Ne-chan!

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Near walked down the cold halls of Wammy's, everything seeming just as unfeeling as it ever did. He got a few glances and indiscreet stares, hearing the other children's whispers quiet as he drifted by, the silent ghost of the orphanage. None of the children would ever talk to him, but he didn't mind. Near enjoyed being left alone, and it didn't bother him when the other kids whispered and gossiped about him, spreading rumors like wildfire. He was pretty sure the latest one was that he was in a relationship with Linda, a small girl who enjoyed art and had a crush on him. The only thing that actually bothered him was how easily the other weak-minded children were able to be manipulated into believe said rumors.

Making his way to the cafeteria, his stomach growling, Near received many more stares. It was rare to see Near outside of his bedroom or the playroom that nobody ever went in to, and it was said that the small boy never ate. However, it was also said that he ate his toys, had kissed L, had psychic powers, and was a cyborg. The latter was started by Matt, but he was pretty sure that all of the others were started by a certain fiery blonde.

Speaking of certain fiery blondes, as Near's eyes rose out of their normal affixation on the floor, he could see that said fiery blonde was standing right in front of him. His loyal lapdog, Matt, was right behind him, game beeping in his dexterous hands. Ice-blue met onyx-gray as petite hand curled platinum locks and tanned fist clenched an empty chocolate wrapper.

"Near."

"Mello."

Neither spoke up for a moment, only staring at each other with electricity and sparks radiating from glassy eyes. Near finally broke the staring contest, his eyes still unblinking, and tried to take a step past Mello. However, the blonde wouldn't let him.

"Near, I know what today is…" he said, voice a mere singsong. "It's August twenty-fourth. Your birthday."

"Correct."

"I have a present for you~"

"Is that so, Mello? What might it be? Another knuckle sandwich? Perhaps a snake-bite on the arm? Or is it a swirly today?" he asked, monotone voice betraying nothing, empty eyes refusing to give away any secrets they might hold.

"Come to the playroom tonight, alone, after everybody's asleep, and you might get lucky enough to find out."

Near did not say another word as he walked past Mello, inwardly rolling his eyes. How _stupid_ would somebody have to be to go into a room alone with their worst rival? Especially when that rival was physically bigger and stronger that you, and had a streak of known violent tendencies?

The small boy had lost his appetite, so he simply walked back to his bedroom, not intending to come out until this tortuous holiday known as his birthday was over. He tried everything to keep his mind occupied, the whole lot from puzzles to robots to Legos to matches. It was as if his brain was on something else…maybe it was still stuck on what could happen tonight, if here were to go down to the playroom with Mello.

"_He could do something nice…maybe confess that he holds the same feelings you do for him."_

"_He could also break the window and slit your throat with a piece of glass."_

"_What if he says he loves you?"_

"_What is he says he's going to kill you?"_

Near shook his head, trying to ignore the argument he was having with himself. One part of his brain wanted to go down to the playroom in hopes of finding something good from Mello, but the other, more rational side of his brain was trying to get him to see that the blonde was not a normally kind person. He probably would end up doing something rash, and Near would regret ever going to the stupid playroom. Yup, that was what was going to happen. If he went, of course…which…he wasn't going to. Definitely not.

Sensitive ears heard a soft knock on his door, and the petite boy stood up and brushed invisible dirt off of his crisp white pajamas, wondering who could possibly knocking on _his_ door. Out of all of the children in the orphanage, who would want to see HIM?

He slowly shuffled over to the door, sock feet padding across the carpet and making no noise at all. Turning the doorknob, he saw that it was Linda standing there. She had her hair in pigtails, as usual, her pink sweatshirt and brown, pleated skirt on, and pink bows in her hair. Looking at him nervously, she held out a white sheet of paper. On it, there was a pencil sketch of him, sitting on the windowsill of the common room and playing with a robot.

"I-I sketched it for you…when I-I was sitting in the c-common room with y-you…" she stuttered, looking completely flustered as Near reached for the piece of paper. "A-and I came by t-to wish you a happy b-birthday, i-is all! So h-happy birthday!"

Near looked up at her wide brown eyes, filled with innocence, her pigtails quivering she was so nervous. He fluttered his soft pink lips apart, only saying a few precious words…at least, to Linda they were precious.

"Linda is a very good artist," he said softly, looking her in the eyes, both of them being around the same height. "And it was very nice of Linda to wish me a happy birthday."

Smile lighting up her face, Linda nodded happily, leaning forward and giving Near a timid hug. However, not even seconds later, Mello was there. He yanked her back by the hood of her sweatshirt, pushing her up against a nearby wall.

"Hey Linda, your little loverboy already has plans for tonight," growled Mello, the scared girl having to look up a bit to make eye contact with the blonde. "So it's not worth it, trying to seduce him into making out with you for the rest of his birthday."

"M-Mello, that's mean!" she cried, furious blush overcoming her face. "You're not in charge of Near! Besides, I wasn't trying to s-seduce him! I just wanted to wish him a happy birthday! H-he's my friend, and I don't even like him like that!"

Mello only smirked at the girl, letting her step away from the wall. She looked at him with her typical deer-in-the-headlights expression, eyes wide, lower lip quivering slightly, her hands moving to play with the hem of whatever shirt she happened to be wearing at the moment.

"If you don't like him, then you wouldn't mind if I told you that I _kissed_ him, would you?" Mello asked, ominous smirk still plastered to his face.

Linda burst into tears at hearing this, running out of the room, leaving the door wide open behind her. Near only looked at Mello, watching as the blonde shut the door behind the two of them. Too-long black pants dragged on the floor, long black shirtsleeves concealing hands that were usually balled into fists. Near didn't even have to look to know all of this. He had spent hours memorizing everything about the blonde, as strange as that sounded, trying desperately to get into his head. He wanted to understand why Mello ate the brands of chocolate he did, what compelled him to be friends with Matt and commit senseless acts of violence towards his person.

He wanted to know everything. He only wished that he could get Mello to tell him instead of trying to figure it out for himself.

"So, you're coming to the playroom tonight, right?" Mello asked, still smirking. "Because you still want your birthday surprise~"

Near only looked at Mello blankly, watching the back of the blonde's head as he walked out of the room. That settled it. He was going to go to the common room tonight.

---_Later that night_---

Near had just gotten back from his birthday party, in which he was forced to eat cake and ice cream, listen to the other children sing him happy birthday as they greedily eyed his presents of toys, robots, and puzzles, and listen to Roger babble on about how proud L was of him. If L was really THAT proud, you'd think he would be able to take an hour or two out of his precious schedule in order to see him, but Near supposed that he wasn't exactly as proud as everybody made him out to be.

The petite boy slipped out of his pajamas, standing in front of his dresser hollowly. He pulled out a fresh new pair of his white pajamas, grabbing his favorite stuffed rabbit and clutching it to his chest, wondering if it was really the best idea to go to the playroom. After all, if it was only a gift Mello wanted to give him, he could have just given it to him in front of the other children.

Waiting until everybody else was asleep, and the orphanage was mostly silent, Near slipped his socked feet out of bed. They padded across the carpet floor silently, his white rabbit still clutched to his chest, his pale skin, baggy white pajamas, and general silence only adding to the illusion he was simply a ghost.

Walking down the nearby hallway, Near made his way to the playroom. He knew this was stupid—completely and utterly stupid, but he could not help but wonder what Mello had in store for him. Thin fingers reached out and wrapped around a cold doorknob, twisting it open and walking into the room. Mello was sitting in one of the chairs, and the blonde stood up as soon as he heard Near arrive.

"Hey, Near," he said, voice surprisingly soft and gentle.

"Is there a reason Mello brought me here?"

Mello chuckled softly, walking over to the smaller boy, shutting the door behind them. Near kept his gaze steady, his eyes only flickering away from Mello's for a second, hearing the tiny click of the thumb-turn lock. The blonde coaxed him further into the room, Near still fisting his bunny tightly.

"Nothing to be _worried_ about…" he said soothingly, looking back at Near. "All I wanted to do was give you a puzzle. As your birthday present."

Near looked at Mello skeptically, watching as the blonde took a wrapped box out from behind his back, holding it out as if it were a peace offering. Near took it, gently unwrapping the white paper, making sure not to leave so much as a rip. He took the silver bow off of the top, handing both the paper and the ribbon to Mello. The blonde only took the paper, setting the silver bow in his white curls, snickering. As Near's hand went to remove it, Mello grabbed on to his thin wrist and stopped him.

"No, I think it looks really cute on you," smiled Mello, gesturing for him to open the puzzle. "Now, you have to solve the puzzle."

Near looked at Mello's hand gripping his wrist, and then at the blonde's smile, and then at the puzzle box, and finally back at Mello himself. Gently tugging his wrist away from Mello's grasp, Near plopped himself down on the floor, intending to work on the puzzle right away. Mello only smirked again, sitting down in a chair behind the small boy.

After about seven minutes, Near only had one corner of the supposedly impossible blank puzzle left. There were about fifteen or so pieces, give or take a few, so Mello decided it was time to put his plan into action. He kneel behind Near, taking a deep breath before wrapping one of his arms around Near's and beginning to help him solve the remaining puzzle. He could feel the petite boy tense up at first, but then he slowly began to relax. Slowly, black, cursive words began to form themselves in the upper right hand of the puzzle, the very part that Near was finishing.

"Turn…around…" Near read, once the puzzle was finished and the words had come into place.

The smaller boy obeyed the puzzle, and his eyes were quickly covered by a pair of hands as he felt something warm and moist press against his own lips—another pair of lips. _Mello's_ lips, to be exact. The blonde had covered his gray eyes as he began to work their lips against each other, tongue slowly teasing the small boy's lips open, Near's body completely under Mello's spell. Near began to open and close his mouth in a rhythm with the blonde, attempting to kiss him back.

Finally, after they decided that they were in desperate need of air, the two boys broke the kiss.

"Happy birthday, Near," whispered Mello, pressing one last chaste kiss to his lips before standing up.

Near was still sitting on the floor in a stupor as Mello walked over to the door, turning around and smirking at him once more before turning the doorknob and walking right out the door.

Happy birthday indeed.

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**End Note: **Fluff needs to be a genre. Review and wish Near a happy birthday, will ya? Dun worry, Near's smut oneshot b-day present will be released ON his birthday, so be on the lookout for that~

This was just an early present. *nods*

~FragilePuzzle


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